livin in the 48205

[corktownyuppie]

This is where I lived til we moved out in 3rd grade. It's sad to see what's happened to it. Feds putting in some manpower will definitely add some resources to a place that desperately needs it.

http://www.freep.com/article/2011092...text|FRONTPAGE

[Detroitej72]

This is sad to hear because I grew up and lived in this zip code until 1990. I can't believe it has gotten that bad in only 21 years time.

[Buy American]

Lived in 48205 for 30 years. It was the nicest neighborhood to have kids grow up in. Heilman Park, the baseball diamonds where teams played every night during the summer, frozen custard on the corner, Frank's Nursery, Revco. St. Judes Church, Burbank School, McGregor School.
I'm ashamed that it's turned into this deadly area of the city. I'm glad to hear that they are going in there and will try their best to clean it up, but my block looks like Iraq as far as burned out homes, boarded up buildings, abandoned homes, and empty lots. Such a shame that almost all of the City that I grew up in, from 48214, then to 48215 and ending up in the 48205 zip code has turned into a sewer.

[Detroitej72]

Lived in 48205 for 30 years. It was the nicest neighborhood to have kids grow up in. Heilman Park, the baseball diamonds where teams played every night during the summer, frozen custard on the corner, Frank's Nursery, Revco. St. Judes Church, Burbank School, McGregor School.
I'm ashamed that it's turned into this deadly area of the city. I'm glad to hear that they are going in there and will try their best to clean it up, but my block looks like Iraq as far as burned out homes, boarded up buildings, abandoned homes, and empty lots. Such a shame that almost all of the City that I grew up in, from 48214, then to 48215 and ending up in the 48205 zip code has turned into a sewer.

You just mentioned my old stomping grounds and schools. Sounds like we used to be neighbors.

[313WX]

48205 is hit or miss, really a block by block situation in some cases.

There are areas where it's bombed out [[Gratiot corridor south of 7 Mile most notably), then there are areas such as Mohican-Regent and Regent Park are very well in tact, hit or miss blocks in Greenbriar, Pulaski and the areas immediately west of the Airport, then there's the area east of Heilmann Elementary from 7 Mile to State Fair immediately west of Kelly, etc.

Problem now is that 48205 is also now home to Detroit's largest share of poor people. So they tend to make it bad for the areas that are still ok and salvageable.

[DetroitPole]

48205 is hit or miss, really a block by block situation in some cases.

There are areas where it's bombed out [[Gratiot corridor south of 7 Mile most notably), then there are areas such as Mohican-Regent and Regent Park are very well in tact, hit or miss blocks in Greenbriar, Pulaski and the areas immediately west of the Airport, then there's the area east of Heilmann Elementary from 7 Mile to State Fair immediately west of Kelly, etc.

Problem now is that 48205 is also now home to Detroit's largest share of poor people. So they tend to make it bad for the areas that are still ok and salvageable.

I thought about that. I would hate if I lived in Mohican Regent or Regent Park and my zip code started getting all the attention as the deadliest in one of the deadliest cities in America. Sheesh, as if home values weren't low enough.
I live in 48224 and there are certainly bad parts but they are nothing like my area. I'd be hopping mad if we got some kind of label like that. I'd have to burn my house down for insurance money. Hell, even Midtown has 48202 which many parts of are no picnic.

[Danny]

HERE'S WHAT HAPPEN!


48205 in the northeast side of Wayne County was annexed by Detroit from
Grosse Pointe Township in 1926. It was once an Irish, Polish, German settlement at the time. when Detroit neighborhood development loomed, an influx of Italians and Sicilians settled and set of shops along Gratiot Ave. from Harper to E. 8 Mile Rd. known as "Little Italy" Then as suburban development along Warren, East Detroit [[ Eastpointe) St. Clair Shores increased, more Italians and Sicilians move into those areas. After the 1967 riot white flight of Italians and Sicilians acclerated. Along came the speedy covenants proposed from diabolical Detroit Real Estate agents to hire black kids to ride their bikes to Detroit neighborhoods, put them into racial fear that black families are moving in and make them sell their Detroit homes to middle income black families. The plan worked. By 1980s as the black community expanded further to Gratiot and E. 7 Mile Rd. A black gang called the Best Friends began to flow crack into the neighborhood and White Boy Rick kept it going until he was arrested. The remaining Italians and Sicilians who lived mostly in those brick homes at the Mohican-Regent quickly move away selling their homes to middle income blacks by 1990 almost all of Detroit Little Italy area is gone! The neighborhood had became a instant ghetto. Violent crime was rampant and schools became uneducated. By 2000s the 48205 is 96% black most middle income blacks started to move to fewer Macomb County suburbs like Warren, Eastpointe, Harper Woods and St. Clair Shores and the 5 Grosse Pointes. Gratiot and 7 Mile commercial distict wher Federal's and Montgomery Wards and Fretter Appliances used to be is all gone. Kroger's tried to come in and they got too scared of the constant robberies so they move out replaced my Mike's Market.
As more low-income slumlord controlled folks took over the ghetto. Most of the home become abandoned, comdemed and turn into vacant lots. Today there are some new commercial retail along E. 7 Mile Rd. and Gratiot Ave. and fewer habitat homes being built on some blighted Detroit ghetto hoods.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

Because I have seen this happen when my dad, my sister and cousin was cruising in that are back in 1990.

Neda, I miss you so.

[softailrider]

All of the above sounds reasonable, except the part about the real estate agents hiring Black kids to ride their bikes around the White areas. I didn't know that compeating real estate agents worked that well together. It's not the first time I've heard that, it just strikes me as kind of fanciful.

[Detroitej72]

The people who lived at 7 & Gratiot did not move because middle income black families were moving in. Hell, in my neighborhood most of the middle class black families saw blight coming and moved out before the long time white residents did. One of our neighbors even told my parents they better get out before the "hood folk" take over the block. This was in the early 90's and there were no real estate agents hiring thugs to ride around on bikes to scare people. The people who were fearful of living around black folks were long gone by the early 80's.

Furthermore, much of the retail stores closed because the companies went out of business. Federals, Woolworth, Winklemann's, Alberts, Baker Shoes, and Fretter Appliance all stayed open until the parent company shut down. Since the area was becoming more blighted, the odds of new stores opening up in that space were slim, although Shopper's World opened in the old Montgomery Wards building.

[Zacha341]

Yikes! One can only imagine what car and homeowners insurance premiums must be within the zip code!!!

[rondinjp]

You just mentioned my old stomping grounds and schools. Sounds like we used to be neighbors.

Same here. I used to play tee ball at heilman and went to st raymonds. Old neighborhood looks like a ghetto now. Can hardly recognize it now. Unfortunately it's spreading further east and is starting to hit Harper woods and gp now. Sigh.

[Detroitej72]

I'd say it's going further north, as the city formally known as East Detroit and Warren are seeing quite an uptick in crime. In fact, in Warren, they are worried because the murder rate this year has already exceeded all of last year.

[stasu1213]

I used to work at the Franklin Branch Library in the early 80s. The area was still nice at that time. I used to go to the Dairy Queen on McNichols near Gratiot and the Tubbys that had sat on the corner of Gratiot and Mcnichols. The area started going down in the late 80s and early 90s when an influx of renters started moving into the emplty homes. My friend had purchased a home on McNichols near the corner of Gratiot in 1991. She regreted it for the neighbors were barbequeing on the front porch while harrassing other neighbors and getting into brawls with rival gangs.

[jiminnm]

Same here. I used to play tee ball at heilman and went to st raymonds. Old neighborhood looks like a ghetto now. Can hardly recognize it now. Unfortunately it's spreading further east and is starting to hit Harper woods and gp now. Sigh.

I lived in the 48205 for 19 years, and my parents lived there 40 years. On Waltham, a couple of houses south of Manning. I haven't been back to the old neighborhood since 1999, but photos sent by friends and Google street views are very sad.

I had the misfortune of spending 12 years in catechism classes at St. Raymond's.

[Scottathew]

McQuade is a crime fighting robot.

[Buy American]

We have gone back to the old neighborhood on a couple of occasions. Usually, after visiting someone at St. John Hospital, Detroit, we'll detour down 7 Mile towards Brock and Hayes to check it out. The last time we tried to go down our street between Brock and Hayes, a group of thugs were playing basketball in the street with a hoop and refused to move themselves or the hoop to let us pass. Defiance all the way and that's what we put up with when we lived there. Boom boxes blasting, drugs in plain view, condoms in the street, party time all day, all night. I retired from the DFD after 30 years and didn't look back at Detroit as much as I hated not to. If the neighborhood had remained the same when my kids were growing up, I'd still be there because we loved it so.

[dtrrman]

Same here. I used to play tee ball at heilman and went to st raymonds. Old neighborhood looks like a ghetto now. Can hardly recognize it now. Unfortunately it's spreading further east and is starting to hit Harper woods and gp now. Sigh.

What year did you graduate St. Ray's? I'm 1969

[dtrrman]

I used to work at the Franklin Branch Library in the early 80s. The area was still nice at that time. I used to go to the Dairy Queen on McNichols near Gratiot and the Tubbys that had sat on the corner of Gratiot and Mcnichols. The area started going down in the late 80s and early 90s when an influx of renters started moving into the emplty homes. My friend had purchased a home on McNichols near the corner of Gratiot in 1991. She regreted it for the neighbors were barbequeing on the front porch while harrassing other neighbors and getting into brawls with rival gangs.

We used to go to the Franklin Branch while kids and that DQ on McNichols was a big stop. I lived on Hickory Street between manning and Pinewood and that block looks like the third armored division used it for target practice. That was such a wonderful neighborhood when I grew up there in the 50's and 60's. the Italians used to make wine in their garages and vines grew in the backyards. The Halloweens with thousands of kids all over the place. Breaks my heart to see what it has become. One of the saddest losses in my life was to see that area suffer a slow and agonizing death. It lives on only in my memory. Grotto, St. Rays and St. Judes were the cornerstone parishes in that area.

[Danny]

The people who lived at 7 & Gratiot did not move because middle income black families were moving in. Hell, in my neighborhood most of the middle class black families saw blight coming and moved out before the long time white residents did. One of our neighbors even told my parents they better get out before the "hood folk" take over the block. This was in the early 90's and there were no real estate agents hiring thugs to ride around on bikes to scare people. The people who were fearful of living around black folks were long gone by the early 80's.

Furthermore, much of the retail stores closed because the companies went out of business. Federals, Woolworth, Winklemann's, Alberts, Baker Shoes, and Fretter Appliance all stayed open until the parent company shut down. Since the area was becoming more blighted, the odds of new stores opening up in that space were slim, although Shopper's World opened in the old Montgomery Wards building.

Yes, they did. Please do some further research on the WSU's Center of Urban Studies M.I.M.I.C. demographic maps on Professor Jason Booza's master Thesis on Detroit's ethnic white flight and black growth in Detroit's neighborhoods from 1950s to 2000. Also please log on to http://projects.nytimes.com/census/2010/map?hp


1. Scroll down to Wayne County Michigan


2. Click on the lagest racial/ethnic group from 2010 and 2000 and compare [[ Please observe the color its represent, not race color) green is majority of white communities while blue is the majority of black communities.)


3. Get the point straight and understand. Now you have done your research!


" Hell, in my neighborhood most of the middle class black families saw blight coming and moved out before the long time white residents did."

Give me what year and what practice did these middle class black folks moved out of that are area. For far as I know fewer middle class Detroit black families started to move to Eastpointe, St. Clair Shores, Warren areas by the late 1980s to the present.


One of our neighbors even told my parents they better get out before the "hood folk" take over the block.

You're neighbors is right, but you're still not making a critique explaining the main reason why more middle class white have move out of the 'Little Italy' area. [[48205)


"This was in the early 90's and there were no real estate agents hiring thugs to ride around on bikes to scare people. The people who were fearful of living around black folks were long gone by the early 80's."

"Yes it's true, according to Professor Hyde's History of Michigan Detroit demographic lecture in Wayne State University's Center of Urban Studies in the 1960s. Real Estate brokers hired black kids to ride on their bicycles to white Detroit neighborhoods, scare the white residents to thinking that black families are moving in and sell their home to another black middle class families. Real Estate agents wants white middle families to move to the suburban neighborhoods and keep most black folks out."


WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET


Be careful of what you have posted to me our anyone in in this thread. We may rebute your argument based on research.


Neda, I miss you so.

[Chub]

How about just making guns illegal in Detroit with heavy punishment if found to posses one? I'm talking about everyone, even cops. It would never happen, I know but the thought excites me.

[Danny]

"Same here. I used to play tee ball at heilman and went to st raymonds. Old neighborhood looks like a ghetto now. Can hardly recognize it now. Unfortunately it's spreading further east and is starting to hit Harper woods and gp now. Sigh."

You're right rondinjp,

According to U.S.Census 2010 Harper Woods black population increase tremendously from 10% in 2000 to 45% in 2010. Middle class black families from Detroit wanted better homes and enviroment for their kids. [[ As in getting away from the ghetto!) But as more black families move in to Harper Woods area as far as Harper and Vernier Rds. their ghetto friends will follow, too. When I was a kid in 1990 Harper Woods was 97% white and 1% black. I didn't hardly spot any black families living over there.

It's amazing that Harper Woods is used as an urban example on White flight in present time. By 2015 Harper Woods will become over 55% black. They would spead pass Harper and Vernier area and into Grosse Pointe Woods neighborhoods until they reach Mack and Vernier area by 2020. It's population in the Grosse Pointe Woods area will increase to 25% by 2020 and white flight increase in that area and its poperty values will decrease, too. Just like it did in Detroit.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

As more black flight to inner ring suburbs continues.

Neda, I miss you so.

[Danny]

How about just making guns illegal in Detroit with heavy punishment if found to posses one? I'm talking about everyone, even cops. It would never happen, I know but the thought excites me.

This means changing the right to bear arms out of the 10 Amendments of the Bill of Rights. THAT WOULD NEVER CHANGE! Gun control is an illusion for the American People. We need protection.

[Danny]

We have gone back to the old neighborhood on a couple of occasions. Usually, after visiting someone at St. John Hospital, Detroit, we'll detour down 7 Mile towards Brock and Hayes to check it out. The last time we tried to go down our street between Brock and Hayes, a group of thugs were playing basketball in the street with a hoop and refused to move themselves or the hoop to let us pass. Defiance all the way and that's what we put up with when we lived there. Boom boxes blasting, drugs in plain view, condoms in the street, party time all day, all night. I retired from the DFD after 30 years and didn't look back at Detroit as much as I hated not to. If the neighborhood had remained the same when my kids were growing up, I'd still be there because we loved it so.

Now you see that what happens to all Detroit neighborhoods being into a urban reservation for black folks [[a ghetto)! You will see liquor stores, storefront churches, black kids wearing possible gang colors, single black mothers on welfare and food stamps renting slumlord homes, loose stray dogs running about, street pharmacists, arguments and shootings. Those are the every day poisons in every Detroit ghetto hoods.

[Danny]

Yikes! One can only imagine what car and homeowners insurance premiums must be within the zip code!!!

The insurance companies would "redline" that area as a black ghetto! and raise its rates serverly high.

[Zaddik]

It is with sadness I note that 48205, or as my parents would recall it, Detroit 5, has become the most crime ridden area of Detroit. My grandparents resided on Hazelridge from the mid-1920's to late 1970's. My grandfather was a sergent in the 9th Precinct. He died several months before he was eligible for a pension with the Detroit Police Department. My grandmother never worked, so she never received any social security after his death. I moved from Detroit with my parents in 1976. We grew up behind the Grotto and were members of the Assumption of our Blessed Virgin Mary[[Grotto) parish. I am uncertain if Father Marx or Msgr Sawyer held the post of pastor longer. We grew up with Sunday Mass, followed by a sundae at Alinosi's. Every Saturday night, my aunt and uncle would drive over to the Ramona to pick up Sunday's newspaper. We shopped at Wrigley's until that closed, then Chatham until that closed. My paper route was west of Gratiot to Schoenherr, from Greiner to Linnhurst. I was looking at statistics regarding income, as well as crime. Within a 1 mile radius of Gratiot and Seymour, the average disposable income of the area population is about 250.00 a year. I remember when the Tubby's was called Monte's and Reimer Pharmacy use to deliver. Thomas Wolfe was correct; you can't go home again. I have faith that if a carpenter can rise from the dead, so too can a city. Detroit will never again be what any of us remember, but if we all work hard at resurrecting Detroit, perhaps we will be able to create new neighborhoods with new memories as cherished as the past.